diff --git a/share/jupyterhub/static/js/home.js b/share/jupyterhub/static/js/home.js
index f83b59ac..66ebc741 100644
--- a/share/jupyterhub/static/js/home.js
+++ b/share/jupyterhub/static/js/home.js
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ require(["jquery", "moment", "jhapi", "utils"], function(
   $(".new-server-btn").click(function() {
     var row = getRow($(this));
     var serverName = row.find(".new-server-name").val();
-    window.location.href = "../spawn/" + escape(user) + "/" + serverName;
+    window.location.href = "../spawn/" + encodeURIComponent(user) + "/" + serverName;
   });
 
   $(".stop-server").click(stopServer);
diff --git a/share/jupyterhub/static/js/jhapi.js b/share/jupyterhub/static/js/jhapi.js
index fe8765f4..bbe230b6 100644
--- a/share/jupyterhub/static/js/jhapi.js
+++ b/share/jupyterhub/static/js/jhapi.js
@@ -46,14 +46,14 @@ define(["jquery", "utils"], function($, utils) {
   JHAPI.prototype.start_server = function(user, options) {
     options = options || {};
     options = update(options, { type: "POST", dataType: null });
-    this.api_request(utils.url_path_join("users", escape(user), "server"), options);
+    this.api_request(utils.url_path_join("users", encodeURIComponent(user), "server"), options);
   };
 
   JHAPI.prototype.start_named_server = function(user, server_name, options) {
     options = options || {};
     options = update(options, { type: "POST", dataType: null });
     this.api_request(
-      utils.url_path_join("users", escape(user), "servers", server_name),
+      utils.url_path_join("users", encodeURIComponent(user), "servers", server_name),
       options
     );
   };
@@ -61,14 +61,14 @@ define(["jquery", "utils"], function($, utils) {
   JHAPI.prototype.stop_server = function(user, options) {
     options = options || {};
     options = update(options, { type: "DELETE", dataType: null });
-    this.api_request(utils.url_path_join("users", escape(user), "server"), options);
+    this.api_request(utils.url_path_join("users", encodeURIComponent(user), "server"), options);
   };
 
   JHAPI.prototype.stop_named_server = function(user, server_name, options) {
     options = options || {};
     options = update(options, { type: "DELETE", dataType: null });
     this.api_request(
-      utils.url_path_join("users", escape(user), "servers", server_name),
+      utils.url_path_join("users", encodeURIComponent(user), "servers", server_name),
       options
     );
   };
@@ -84,7 +84,7 @@ define(["jquery", "utils"], function($, utils) {
   };
 
   JHAPI.prototype.get_user = function(user, options) {
-    this.api_request(utils.url_path_join("users", escape(user)), options);
+    this.api_request(utils.url_path_join("users", encodeURIComponent(user)), options);
   };
 
   JHAPI.prototype.add_users = function(usernames, userinfo, options) {
@@ -107,7 +107,7 @@ define(["jquery", "utils"], function($, utils) {
       data: JSON.stringify(userinfo),
     });
 
-    this.api_request(utils.url_path_join("users", escape(user), options));
+    this.api_request(utils.url_path_join("users", encodeURIComponent(user), options));
   };
 
   JHAPI.prototype.admin_access = function(user, options) {
@@ -118,7 +118,7 @@ define(["jquery", "utils"], function($, utils) {
     });
 
     this.api_request(
-      utils.url_path_join("users", escape(user), "admin-access"),
+      utils.url_path_join("users", encodeURIComponent(user), "admin-access"),
       options
     );
   };
@@ -126,7 +126,7 @@ define(["jquery", "utils"], function($, utils) {
   JHAPI.prototype.delete_user = function(user, options) {
     options = options || {};
     options = update(options, { type: "DELETE", dataType: null });
-    this.api_request(utils.url_path_join("users", escape(user), options));
+    this.api_request(utils.url_path_join("users", encodeURIComponent(user), options));
   };
 
   JHAPI.prototype.request_token = function(user, props, options) {
@@ -135,14 +135,14 @@ define(["jquery", "utils"], function($, utils) {
     if (props) {
       options.data = JSON.stringify(props);
     }
-    this.api_request(utils.url_path_join("users", escape(user), "tokens"), options);
+    this.api_request(utils.url_path_join("users", encodeURIComponent(user), "tokens"), options);
   };
 
   JHAPI.prototype.revoke_token = function(user, token_id, options) {
     options = options || {};
     options = update(options, { type: "DELETE" });
     this.api_request(
-      utils.url_path_join("users", escape(user), "tokens", token_id),
+      utils.url_path_join("users", encodeURIComponent(user), "tokens", token_id),
       options
     );
   };